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Lot Essay

INDENTPrivate William Hough, born at Manchester, attested for th 24th Regiment at Lichfield, 13 August 1867 aged 19 years; served in 'H' Company at St.Helena, 1876-77; in the Zulu campaign of 1877-79 served as Colonel Glyn's cook, and his participation in the Battle of Isandhlawana is described briefly in the account given by Private Williams, Colonel Glyn's groom and a survivor of the action. The Zulus had gatherd on the hills surrounding the Regiment's camp during the morning of 23 January and by midday the fighting had become general. Private Williams relates "Meanwhile there was very heavy fighting on the left and left centre. I myself and Private Hough, the Colonel's Cook, went to the left beyond the General's tents where we were joined by three of the General's servants, and began to fire from the left of No.5 Company, 1/24th Regiment. We fired 40 to 50 rounds each when the Native Contingent fell back on the camp and one of the officers pointed out to me that the enemy were entering to the right of the camp. We then went to the right, No.5 Company still holding their position, and fired away the remainder of our ammunition, the Kaffirs turned the left of No.5 Company by coming over a high rock."

Private Williams was ordered by Lieutenant Coghill to take the horses to the rear of the camp and it was presumably at this point that he became separated from Hough. Williams followed Coghill out of the camp at the rear and contrived to escape, and it is conjectured that Hough would also have survived had they not become separated at this crucial point in the battle.